Odett’s POV
I woke before sunrise, when the protection marks were still visible on the walls. Footsteps passed outside my room, and the castle settled around me. I listened until Lorilie stretched in my mind, entirely untroubled.
‘You are counting sounds again. The third set of footsteps belongs to someone carrying breakfast trays, in case you were wondering,’ Lorilie observed.
I checked the floor without leaving the bed.
‘Grandma told me to name what is here when I wake up,’ I replied.
‘That is what I was doing.’
Lorilie gave a doubtful huff but allowed me to keep my pride.
I rolled my eyes, but her teasing loosened the knot in my chest. The chair stood where I had left it. The room smelled of clean linen, not ash, and no crimson eyes watched from the shadows.
Mom was already in t
